| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design | Milwaukee |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Eau Claire |
Our 2026 ranking of the top illustration schools in Wisconsin. The criteria we used for the animation rankings consists, in no particular order, of the following: Academic reputation, Employment data, Admission selectivity, Depth and breadth of the program, Value as it relates to tuition and indebtedness, Graduation rate, and Retention rate. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) houses an Illustration BFA program that allows students work on collaborative projects with real clients. Other program highlights include the option to specialize in a specific area by adding a minor such as Digital Media Production, Advertising or Book Arts; professional internships; and the culminating Illustration Thesis Project, Portfolio, and student-designed MIAD Exhibition. Students and graduates have created designs and illustrations for The New Yorker, Nike, Variety, HBO, Time, and Amazon Studios. MIAD illustration graduates are also routinely hired at places such as Hallmark, Disney, Google, Pokémon, Kohler, Dallas Morning News, Kohl’s, and Harley-Davidson. Other program alumni have launched studios such as THIEL Design and Studio 8 Design.
The Department of Design at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UW-Eau Claire) houses an Integrative Visual Arts BFA program that allows students to focus their studios in illustration, painting, and drawing. Students will also select a theme of electives such as Sequential Expression (illustration narratives, visual communications) or Communication in Contemporary Culture (illustration, editorials, UX design). Other program highlights include field trips to Chicago and New York; workshops by visiting artists; community collaborations; apprenticeships; and the Italy Partnership (study abroad) with Istituto Lorenzo de' Medici (LdM) in Florence. Graduates have landed positions at place such as Marvel, Microsoft, Target, and IBM.
